Gov. Sam Brownback expects to outline spending cuts next week to help prevent Kansas from having a deficit within the next year, his top spokeswoman said Friday, as his office announced expanded duties for his top budget adviser.

Tens of thousands of workers at Brazil's state-owned Petrobras went on a nationwide 24-hour strike on Friday to protest the oil company's plans to sell $15.1 billion worth of assets by the end of next year to help pay off a debt of about $120 billion.

A federal appeals court has revived a constitutional challenge to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the federal office created to protect consumers in financial dealings with banks, lenders and credit card companies.